Bag holder



Ju1`y31, 1934. J, H. ROURKE 1,968,265

BAG HOLDER Fued July 7, 1952 2l sheets-sheet 1 July 3l, 1934.

J. H. ROURKE BAG HOLDER Filed July '7, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented July 3l, 1934 UNiTED STATES BAG HOLDER.I John H. Rourke, St. Vital, Manitoba, Canada Application July 7,1932, Serial No. 621,175

In Canada April 9, 1932 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in bag holders and an object of the invention is to provide a device which will receive and hold the bag with the mouth thereof fully open to permit of 5 the easy filling of the bag and which is arranged so that the empty bag can be easily and quickly put in place and the lled bag easily removed and which is designed so that it can be readily adjusted to accommodate bags having various sized mouths and bags of various lengths.

A further object is vto provide a bag holder having suitably positioned stationary and movable jaws adapted to grip the mouth of the bag and hold it open and to arrange the movable jaws so that they can all be simultaneously opened by the manipulation of foot actuated means in the nature of a double foot pedal provided;

A further object of the invention is to provide a frame having one side thereof so that it can be adjusted towards and away from the other side of the frame, the adjustable partY of the frame lcarrying a stationary and movable jawv which in the movement of such part ofthe Vframe is adjusted in position in respect to the other jaws' and 2 further to provide the framewith pointed legs for engagement with the ground and to hold the device against shifting when in` useand also to provide means permitting of the adjustment of the legs. A further object is to construct the double pedal employed so that it accommodates the movement of the adjustable side of the frame.

A still further object of thev inventionis to support the rear pair of bag gripping jaws so that they can swing ahead against the pressure of a spring provided, such feature allowing the de- -vice to hold bags having a relatively small mouth as well asv those with larger mouths.

A further object is to construct the stationary and movable jaws so that the mouth of the bag Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view at 3-3 Figv ure 1. 1

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detailed horizontal sectional view at 4-,4 Figure 1.y .Y j.,

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional View at 5-5 Figure 1.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several gures.

The main frame of the bag holder presents the opposing sides 1 and 2 and the back 3 connecting the sides. The side 1 is what I term a stationary side and it is formed from a single piece of bar metal bent to provide a vertical front portion 4 and upper and lower substantially L-shaped 95 arms 5 and 6 extending rearwardly from A the front portion and an angle brace '7 extending. angularly between the upper and-lower' arms and having the upper end thereof bent downwardly to the inner side of the portion 4 and securely riveted Z0 thereto to reinforce the same.v

The side 2 is formed from a single piece of bar metal bent to provide a verticalY front: portion 8 `and two upper andlower rearwardly extending arms 9 and 10, these arms being passed above 11.5 and below the ends of the arms 5 and 6 and being ivotally connected thereto by a long bolt 11, there being a spacing tube 12 interposed 'between the ends of the arms 5 and 6. The saidside 2 is reinforced by an angle brace y13 similar to that 8.0 '7, theupper end of the'angle brace being turned down and riveted'to the arm in the same manner as the former brace. According to this arrangement, it will be seen that if the side 1 of the frame be held stationary, 35 the side 2 can be adjusted towards or away from the same as desired.

A vertical bar 14 is permanently fastened to the back of the frame and the frame, at the front, is supported by similar adjustable legs .2,99 r15 in the form of metal bars having their lower ends pointed. Each leg is 'supplied with a pair of longitudinally extending slots 16 and 17 and the upper'end of the leg is fitted with a laterally disposed eye 18. Two front legs are provided 9.5

and these are' attached to the vertical portions 4 and 8 of the frame, the connection being made bypassing a lower bolt 19 through each lower slot of the leg, the bolt being carried by the frame and slidable in the slot and'by passing Aan eye 11,00

vbolt 20 through each upper'slot, the eye bolt being carried by the frame'and slidably received within theslot. The eye bolt is provided rearwardly in each instance with a' winged'nut'21 and tothe eye of the bolt, I pivotallyv connect .105

the eccentric head 22 of a lever 23; According to this arrangement, one can `ad just the leg in respect to the frame by turning the lever into a position such that the eccentric lhead thereof does not `jam the legagainst'move- .1,10

`cross bar 144.

ment and when a desired adjustment has been made, it is only necessary to swing the lever into a position which will cause the head to eiectively jam the leg and hold it in the adjusted position.

The rear bar 14 is supplied with a rear leg 24 and this latter leg is attached to and rendered adjustable in respect to the bar in the same manner as the legs :previously described.

To each of the veyes 18 of the legs, I connect the upper end of a coiled spring 25 which spring has its lower end suitably fastened to the main frame and these springs operate when `the levers 23 are in their released positions to support the weight of the frame and any load carried thereby, from the legs. Y

To the vertical front portions 4 and 8 of the main frame, I permanently fasten vertically extending similar arms 26 and 27, these arms having their upper ends hooked inwardly to provide opposing stationary jaws 28 and 29. Associated with the stationary jaws, I provide similar movable jaws A3() and 31 which are formed from relatively shortlengths of .bar iron pivotally attached by pivot bolts l32 tothe arms and which have their inner ends curled .backwardly on themselves to form .the jaw and their outer ends up turned to'provide levers. Coiled springs 33 con.- nect the upper'ends .of the latter levers to the peaks of the stationary jaws, these springs acting to normally .maintain the stationary jaws in their closed position which is pressed tightly Vagainst the adjacent stationary jaws.

. vTo the lower part of the back .of the frame, I fpermanently fasten a .cross bar 34 which has the :endsther-eof vturnedforwardly to provide opposing lugs 35 and to .these lugs, I pivotally connect 'the lower ends of a pair of similar vertically extending arms 36and'37, the saidarms beingconnected together `by upper and lower cross braces -38 and `39 and having their upper ends terminating in forwardly hooked ends forming stationary jaws .40 and 41 'identical to the stationary jaws previously described.

Similar movable jaws 42 are associated with ithe latter stationary jaws andsuchrmovable jaws areidentical :to Y:those previously ,described and are held'engaged with their associated `stationary jaws by coiled springs 43 corresponding to lthose 133.

The .rearward-ly :disposed `.pair Iof movable jaws are connected together -by intervening A .coiled spring 45 `is. provided which has its forward end connectedzto the upper -cross bar 38 vand its rear end connected `to the verticalbar 14 and the bars y,38 and I4-have Eastened thereto `guide bars .46 and 47, the guide bar .46 ycarrying va bolt 48 vwhichoperates in the lon- 'jgitudinal slot .49 :supplied in the bar 47.

A Idouble -foot' :pedal is provided Yfor `simultaneously .opening fand subsequently releasngwthe `movable jaws, such vfoot .pedal being Aarranged so that it can ybe manipulatedrby either the' left or right foot of `.the attendant.` The -foot'pedal `:comprises a somewhat .L-shaped rod 50 1located 'fatnthe outer side oftheside -1 of the fframe and v`:having yvthefbeni', end rotatably 4mounted :in the lugs '35. side'of the -side 2.0i the vframetand has 'the rear end pivotall-y connected `by fa vertically disposed `pivot boli-, 52 to the rear end of .the rod.' JThe A Astili" 'bar 51 fisilocated at 'the outer li'iorvvardfends .of the erod and .the bar yS51 project forwardly beyond :the front portions :4 .and 8 of `the iframe zand tare. guided :in their vivertical.swinglfing `movement by ithe flatter frame portions ,and Yf-byro'iset Vguide 'bars @53 Asecured .to .suchfp ortions.

Chains 54 and f55 connectthe [rod 350 and ythe bar 51 with the levers of the front movable jaws and chains or similar pulling lines 56 and .57 connect the rod and bar 51 to the cross bar 44 which it will be remembered is attached to the levers of the rear movable jaws.

I n the closed position of the jaws, the rod 50 and bar 5l which form the double pedal are in the position shown in the drawings and it will be obvious that if one. press down with his foot on the forward end of either the rod or the latter bar, he will simultaneously move the movable jaws to` open or released position and obviously upon Hthe foot pressure being relieved, the springs asso.-

-ciated with such jaws will immediately close them. It will be also noticed that the arrange ment of the parts is such that the side 2 of the frame `can be swung towards or away from the side vl vwithout in any way interfering with the action oi the foot pedal.

When it is desired to support a bag by the holder, one will `open the jaws by pressing the foot pedal and will -then catch `the stationary jaws within the open mouth of thebag and'then release vthe foot pedal. VThebag is then held suspended by the holder with the mouth thereof E1GO open which facilitates filling the same with produce. g

As the side 2 of the frame is adjustable :towards or away from that l and vthe lrear jaws can be pulled ahead when desired, the Adev ice can be used for holding bags. having mouths gof different size and further than this, one .can so position the front jaws so that ample clearance can be given one using say a shovel to iillthe bag or in other words, the device can be adjusted at the "1'10 front to accommodate the shovel fbeing used and in this regard, it is to be remembered that the rear jaws can lswing ahead Vagainst the pressure of the spring 45 when required.

Where the holder is usedeto support bags/more G1115 or less pf the same length, the legs -willbe all set to accommodate .the length vofthe bags and will be then locked inthat set position ,bythe levers provided, it -being understood that when the holder is so set, the bottom of the bag heldl- `thereby andlabout to be filled, will .be just nicely res-ting on the ground.

In .caseshoweven where-bags of varyingleng-th are encountered, one will release the levers 23 .so that Athe weight 4of the frame, bag .and `contents125 is carried by the .springs v25. .The frame .then

drop under the weight oi the filling bag Aand permit the bottom of that bag to rest on the ground. In this way, the frame automatically .adjusts itself .or settles to .accommodate Vthe length of 1.30 bagbeing `filled.

It will be particularly noted also that the .jaws are so shaped vthat they .have virtually'no tendency to muti-late or otherwise damage the gripped mouth of the bag. T

While I haveentered :into adetaileddescription of .the .various parts, Vit will be understood that the same might be materially modied without .departing from ,the spirit .of .the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention isz--l 1. A has holder Comprising ,an .upstandns frame presenting anopen Yfront Aand opposing sides and having one of the sides pivoted for swinging movement towards or away from lthe other side, similar elevated opposing bag gripping `jaws located at the upper front corners of the frame sides, a pair oi rearwardly disposed opposing elevated bag .gripping jaws `carriedbythe swinging movement, spring means resisting the latter swinging movement and manually actuated means for simultaneously releasing the grip of the jaws on the sides of the opened mouth of a bag gripped thereby.

2. In a bag holder, an upstanding frame presenting an open front, opposing sides and a back portion connecting the sides, a pair of elevated bag gripping jaws carried by the forward upper corners of the frame sides, a pair of opposing elevated interconnected bag gripping jaws carried by the back portion of the frame and mounted for forward swinging movement in regard to the frame and spring means normally resisting the forward swinging movement of such latter jaws.

3. A bag holder comprising an upright frame presenting an open front, opposing sides and a back portion, the back portion being integrally formed with one of the sides and the other of the sides being pivotally connected to the back portion for swinging movement towards or away from the opposite side, a pair of opposing forward elevated bag gripping jaws carried by the forward upper corners of the frame sides, a pair of rearwardly disposed opposing elevated bag gripping jaws carried by the back portion of the frame and mounted for simultaneous forward swinging movement and spring means resisting the forward swinging movement of the latter jaws.

4. A bag holder comprising an upright frame presenting an open front, opposing sides and a back portion, the back portion being integrally formed with one of the sides and the other of the sides being pivotally connected to the back portion for swinging movement towards or away from the opposite side, a pair of opposing forward elevated bag gripping jaws carried by the forward upper corners of the frame sides, a pair of rearwardly disposed opposing elevated bag gripping jaws carried by the back portion of the frame and mounted for simultaneous forward swinging movement, spring means resisting the forward swinging movement of the latter jaws and manually operated means for simultaneously releasing the grip of all jaws.

5. In a bag holder, an upstanding frame presenting an open front and opposing sides and having one of the sides pivoted for swinging movement towards or away from the other side, similar elevated opposing bag gripping jaws 1ocated at the upper front corners of the frame sides, a pair of rearwardly disposed opposing elevated bag gripping jaws carried by the frame and mounted for simultaneous forward swinging movement and means yieldingly resisting the forward swinging of the latter jaws.

JOHN H. ROURKE. 

